LONDON – The U.K. edition of venerable women’s magazine Good Housekeeping set off a minor kerfuffle May 24 when it released the results of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s third-annual Vibrator Test. The institute presented 270 women ages 31 to 70 with a selection of vibrators and asked the volunteers to play with the devices for two weeks before reporting their impressions.

As might be expected, reactions to the article were mixed. Some readers found the study stimulating, while others considered the study crass.

A significant number found the coverage offered bt the U.K.’s This Morning show “disgusting.”

As it turned out, the split in opinions among readers and viewers shared some commonalities with statistics Good Housekeeping gleaned from its testers:

52 percent of the study’s participants already owned a vibrator, and the other half had considered buying one.

81 percent of participants said they are comfortable discussing sex toys with partners and friends. Only 9 percent considered vibrators a taboo conversational topic.

24 percent said they’re more sexually satisfied thanks to their battery-powered boyfriends, and 18 percent they’ve had more sex after investing in a vibe.

13 percent said becoming acquainted with sex toys has made them more confident about asking for what they want in bed.

So, which vibes emerged as cream of the crop?

Lovehoney’s Desire Clitoral Vibrator topped the list, receiving a score of 74 out of 100. (GH’s review is here.)

Rocks-Off products came in second and third: Ruby Glow received a score of 71 (GH’s review is here), and RO-duet received a score of 69 (review here).

In all, the test evaluated 27 products from manufacturers including Lelo, Perlesque, Tracey Cox, Rocks-off, Durex, Ann Summers, Loving Joy and Feranti. All product reviews and rankings are here.